MIAMI - Throughout its 17-year history FIU football has produced some solid linebackers. From the early years of the program the Panthers had the trifecta of the "Killer B's" of Antwan Barnes, Alexander Bostic and Keyonvis Bouie who helped the FIU defense lead the nation in tackles for loss in 2006. Barnes would become FIU's first NFL Draft pick.

A few years later FIU had Scott Bryant, who had been the program's all-time tackles leader until safety Johnathan Cyprien broke the record in 2012. Linebackers "Little Canada" Toronto Smith and Winston Fraser anchored the FIU defense when it won the 2010 Sun Belt championship and Little Caesars Bowl.

Most recently, Anthony Wint and Treyvon Williams were FIU's top linebackers, who culminated their careers by helping the Panthers match the program record of eight wins last season and led the team to its third bowl game.

Now linebacker Sage Lewis and defensive lineman-turned-linebacker Fermin Silva would like to make their marks as the next pair of standout FIU linebackers.

"I've heard of the Killer B's," said Silva. "I know about FIU's linebacker tradition. Those are all great players. I played with Treyvon and Wint three years and those are probably two of the best linebackers I've ever played with. They taught me a lot. I feel like Sage and I can take over and be good players and be on that list of great FIU linebackers throughout this program's history."

Lewis is currently the Panthers most experienced linebacker. Silva, a senior, has played plenty of defensive snaps but none at linebacker. Still, ever since moving to linebacker last spring Silva has become a quick study.

"Fermin continues to get better," said FIU defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Brent Guy. "He was a guy who listened to the defensive calls last year and now he's a guy making that call. He was a guy that was rushing the quarterback and now he's dropping in coverage. We're seeing progress every day from Fermin which is really encouraging."

FIU lost a combined 635 career tackles when Wint and Williams graduated last year. Silva moved to linebacker after FIU head coach Butch Davis asked him to do so. Silva is just one of five upperclassmen among the 12 linebackers listed on the FIU roster.

Although Silva is learning the position well he feels there are some areas that he needs to fine tune.

"The biggest adjustments are learning how to play in space and the formations," said Silva, who led FIU with 14 tackles for loss and seven sacks last season. "I've never had a problem learning plays because I watch a ton of film. You can't always just attack at linebacker because now you have to attack a certain way and be more under control. Watching film of Treyvon Williams and Anthony Wint last year has helped me a lot."

Lewis, who was fifth on the team with 55 tackles last season, is also employing what he learned from Wint and Williams.

"Wint was the brains and Trey played fast," Lewis said. "Wint used to say it's not always about being physical because most of the game is mental. It's a matter of slowing the game down and going through my calls, reads and making sure the D-line is straight. Treyvon Williams is a maniac. He played fast, got a bunch of TFLs (tackles for loss) and was an overall playmaker. I know that to get to the next level you have to make plays and that's what I've been working on."

Lewis and Silva lead a linebacker corps that is short on game experience but long on promise.

Rocky Jacques-Louis, Jamal Gates, Tevin Jones, Donovan Georges and Romelo Brooks are among the other linebackers that the Panthers are counting on this season. As well as Texas graduate transfer Edwin Freeman, who is working back into shape after elbow surgery.

"Ed Freeman is starting to get more work," Guy said. "He's pretty natural when he sees things on defense. Of course the defense here is totally different from what it was in Texas. He has questions about how we fit things. After practice, he said coach I have to come in and get extra work on run fits because I'm not quite there yet. But when the ball runs away from him or comes at him he knows what to do. I'm confident he will work very hard to learn our defense."

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